More Evidence on the Nutritional Benefits of Olive Oil

A high intake of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), more than 40 grams per day, is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular diseases in older individuals with high risk, according to a new analysis of the Predimed clinical trial, published in the American Heart Journal. The lead author of this study is Javier Pérez de Rojas, from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Granada. The study involved 19 Spanish institutions (universities, research institutes, hospitals or network centers such as CIBER), one American center, and two from Denmark.

In their conclusions, the authors explain that “high consumption of EVOO is associated with a substantial reduction of cardiovascular risk in high-risk individuals. On the other hand, common olive oil, which lacks polyphenols, showed weaker associations, underscoring the importance of distinguishing between types of olive oil in cardiovascular prevention strategies.”

The study, which involved more than 7,100 people aged 55 to 80 years without prior history of cardiovascular disease, assessed the olive oil consumption habits annually during an average follow-up of 4.7 years. During this period, 621 cardiovascular events were recorded.

The results show that those in the group with the highest intake of EVOO (about 49 grams per day) had a 25% lower risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event —heart attack, stroke, peripheral artery disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or cardiovascular death— compared to the group with the lowest consumption. At the highest intake levels (about 61 grams per day), the risk reduction reached 48%.

In contrast, the consumption of common olive oil, subjected to refining processes that remove antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols, did not show a significant association with cardiovascular prevention.

Olive oil, increasingly consumed worldwide, has been inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, previous studies did not evaluate a broad spectrum of CVD outcomes, did not incorporate annual repeated dietary assessments, nor distinguished between extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) rich in polyphenols and common olive oil, which lacks these compounds.

Now this work confirms the key role of extra virgin olive oil as the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, thanks to its bioactive compounds such as oleocanthal and hydroxytyrosol, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Predimed is one of the largest trials on the Mediterranean diet and its results reinforce the recommendation to prioritize the consumption of EVOO over other fats.